Konaseema becomes volatile over renaming

Amalapuram (Konaseema): Amalapuram is on the boil over the proposed naming of Konaseema as Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district. The political proposal to rename the district boomeranged with die-hard Konaseemites going into a rage over what they claim "a loss of identity" and resorting to arson and rioting on Tuesday leading to destruction of public and private property.

The serene and peaceful region saw Transport Minister Pinepe Viswaroop's house attacked and burnt by angry mobs rampaging the streets of Amalapuram. Timely move of the police in shifting the Minister and his family members to a safe place saved their lives. The agitators also set on fire the house of Mummadivaram MLA Ponnada Satish Kumar and another ex-MLA. A private bus was torched and a police vehicle carrying some of the agitating youth was also attacked.

Pitched battles were fought between the police and the protesting youth. SP KSSV Subba Reddy sustained bleeding injuries and has been admitted to hospital.

Several policemen were said to have sustained injuries as irate protestors pelted stones following the lathi-charge. A police vehicle and an educational institution's bus were torched in the town. As the situation went totally out of control by evening, police opened fire in the air to quell the agitating mob.

Anticipating protests, police have imposed Section 144 since morning and asked people not to move in groups. The town was peaceful till afternoon. Suddenly, over 5,000 people came onto the streets and this led to a pitched battle between the agitators and the police.

Hundreds of youth thronged the clocktower centre of the town to protest against the proposed name of the district. The call was given by the "Konaseema Zilla Sadhana Samithi" which opposes the new name.

Despite the efforts of the police to pacify and calm their tempers, an argument ensued even as the police tried to push them back some among the mob succeeded in breaking the police cordon and charged towards the Collectorate and pelted stones on a vehicle carrying the fellow arsonists. Police had to resort to lathicharge at 'Nallavanthena' area on stone pelting rioters. This led to injuries to many on both sides. This infuriated the agitators further and they set fire to a police vehicle near the Collectorate.

Later, in the evening, Advisor to the Government, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, too appealed for calm urging the people to introspect. Baba Saheb's contribution to the country and for the uplift of the Dalits was monumental and no one needed to grudge naming the district after him, he said while talking to the media at Vijayawada. Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan also appealed to people to maintain calm.

Home Minister Thaneti Vanitha dubbed the agitation painful and unwarranted as the government only intended to honour "our Constitution giver" and even that followed a swell of a demand from the public.